Can body making machine



July 6, 1965 E. LAXO CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 5, 1962 IN V EN TOR.

ED LAXO ATTQBNEY July 6, 1965 LAXO 7 CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 3. 1962 INVENTOR.

ED LAXO ATTORNEY July 6, 1965 E. LAXO CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 3, 1962 INVENTOR.

BY ED LAXO ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,192,755 CAN BGDY MAKENG MAC Ed Laxo, Hayward, Calii'.; Thelma E. Laxo, executrix of said Ed Laxo, deceased, assignor to Thelma E. Laxo Filed May 3, 1962, Ser. No. 192,140 12 Qlaims. (Cl. 72- 156) This invention relates to a can body making machine and, more particularly, it relates to a portion of the side seam forming assembly of a can body maker wherein fiat can body blanks are first secured to a foaming horn or mandrel and then wrapped about the mandrel to be formed into tubular configurations.

In the process of manufacturing cans, fiat can body blanks are delivered to a side seam forming assembly wherein the flat blanks are converted into the tubular can bodies. As delivered, the can body blanks have hooks formed along their opposite edges which may be interlocked and hammered to form the side seams. The tubular can body is formed by delivering a flat can body to the mandrel, securely clamping it in place and then wrapping it about the mandrel to interlock the hook edges. In high speed side seam forming machines which produce several hundred cans per minute, it is extremely important that the various machine operations be closely timed to perform their functions in rapid and proper sequence.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a can body making machine assembly which clamps a flat body blank to a mandrel and folds it about the mandrel, including means for closely adjusting the relative timing of the various machine operations.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for clamping a flat body can to, and wrapping it about, a mandrel having means for adjusting the components to compensate for wear and to vary and closely adjust relative timing. I

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for adjusting the timing of can body folding mechanisms easily and without dismantling major components of the machine.

In carrying out this invention, there is provided complementary stationary and moveable wedge members which cooperate to force a clamping shoe against a can body blank on the mandrel. One of the Wedge members is carried on a rocking shaft and means are provided for closely adjusting the arc through which the wedge member swings. Means are also provided for varying the relative position of the stationary wedge member in order to compensate for wear. The moveable wedge member is controlled by a rotary composite cam which includes adjustment means for controlling both the time and duration of wedge member operation. Similarly, the can folding mechanism includes means for adjusting both the amount of folding movement and the time of operation in the machine cycle.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from the description following when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in end elevation of the machine embodying features of this invention with certain portions partially cut away to reveal interior construction;

FIG. 2 is a section view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

amass Patented July 6, 1965 shown) for forming about a forming horn or mandrel 12. As a can body blank is presented to the forming horn 12 it is clamped thereon by a can body clamp 14. Then, a pair of wing clamps 15 and 16 each of which is pivotally mounted at 17 on the depending portion 18 of the machine frame Zfi, swing downwardly under the influence of one of a pair of connector rods 22, which is eccentrically mounted at 24 to a crank disc 26. Each of the crank discs 26 is mounted on one of two adjacentcontrol shafts 28 and 29 to rotate therewith.

The drive mechanism for the wing clamp and can body clamp 14 is mounted in an arch 30 of the frame 29 and is driven from a source of power (not shown) through chains 32 to a sprocket 34 keyed onto the shaft 36, tension of the chain 32 being maintained by suitable sprockets 38 adjustably mounted on the frame 20.

A pinion 49 also keyed to the shaft 36 drives idler gear 42 which, in turn, drives a larger gear 44 secured onto one of the main control shafts 28. In addition to carrying the actuating crank disc 26 for one of the wing clamps 16, shaft 28 also carries control means for the can body clamp 14, the operation of which will hereinafter be described. The gear 44 meshes with a similar, companion gear 45 to drive the other control shaft for operation of the other wing body clamp 15.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the gear 44 is secured onto the control shaft 28 by means of cap screws 46 threaded into an enlarged radial flange portion 48 of the shaft 28. The inner end of shaft 28 is mounted in bearings 49 to rotate in the frame member 20.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 28 is a composite cam assembly 519 comprising a pair of rotary cams 51 and 52 (see also FIG. 1). The angular positions of the two cams 51 and 52 relative to each other can be adjustably established by engagement of a cap screw 54, which extends through a slot 56 in the front cam 51 and is threaded into the back cam 52. Thus, cap screw 54 may be loosened and the high portions of the cams 51 and 52 moved relative to each other so that the effective lengths of the high and low portions of the composite cam 50 may be adjustably determined. 7 g

The composite cam 50 is locked onto the control shaft 28 by means of a cap 58 which may be clamped against the end of a hub extension 60 on the front cam 51 by means of a nut 62 threadedly received on a reduced diameter portion 64 of the control shaft 28. A key 66 holds the clamping cap 58 against rotation on the shaft 28. The control shaft 28 is rotatably mounted in a cover plate 70 of the frame .arch 3t? by means of bearings 68 carried on the hub portion 61) of cam 50.

Thus, in order to time the composite cam 50, the nut 62 is loosened to relieve the clamping pressure of cap 58. Then, cap screw 54 is loosened to adjust the relative lengths of the high and low portions of the composite cam 50 by rotating the cam members 51 and 52 relative to each other to the extent permitted by the arcuate slot 56 in the front cam 51. Then, the composite cam 56 may be rotated on the control shaft 28 to the desired angular position thereon and the nut 62 tightened to clamp the cap 58 against the end of the hub extension 60. Thus, by adjusting the angular position of the composite cam 50 on the shaft 28, the time in the machine cycle at which it operates may be controlled, and by adjusting the relative angular disposition of cam elements 51 and 52 the relative lengths of the cam operation cycles are controlled. This establishes the cycle of operation of the can body clamp 14, as will now be described. The entire timing adjustment of the composite cam 56 can be accomplished from the front of the machine 10, simply by removing the small access opening cover plate 71 (FIG. 1) providing direct access to the cams 51 and 52.

The can body forming horn or mandrel 12 is of conventional construction including a longitudinal slot 12a which permits movement of an extractor to remove formed can bodies from the horn. The can body clamp 14 comprises a lower clamp shoe 86 on the ends of which are secured retainer clamps 82 which engage the front and rear faces of the sub-frame 18 to hold the clamp shoe 3% against longitudinal displacement. As shown in FIG. 2, the frame portion 18 on which the wing clamps are pivotally mounted comprises a series of depending posts 34 in which are slidably carried clamp posts or actuators 8d, the bottoms of which rest upon the lower clamp shoe 89. The tops 87 of the actuators 86 are slanted from front to rear at a slight angle, in the order of degrees, and are received in complementary recesses $8 cut in the bottom of a cam block 96 supported on the tops of the posts 84. Secured to the frame of the machine 20 at the front and rear of the arch 30 are retainer blocks 92 and 94 which embrace the opposite ends of the cam block 90 and limit the fore and aft movement thereof. A set screw as threaded into the forward retainer block 92 engages the front end of the cam block 9% to establish the longitudinal position of the cam block against a compression spring 98 seated against the rear retainer block 94. It is apparent that by adjusting the set screw 96 to fix the longitudinal position of the wedge cam block 96 one may compensate for wear of the actuators 86 or cam block 99 and may set the normal compression on the lower clamp shoe 89. The spring 98 biases the cam block 20 against the set screw yieldably setting the desired relative position of the wedge surfaces between the cam block 9 9 and the clamp posts or actuators 86.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 5, the upper surface 99 of cam block 9% is also angled upwardfrom left to right, being machined at a slight angle in the order of 8 degrees. The resultant wedge surface is opposed by a similar .wedgiug surface carried on an actuator bar which is secured to a rocking shaft 102 by means of cap screws 104. Thus, as the shaft 102 rotates through an angle suificient to rock the actuator member 160 from the dotted line position shown in FIG. 5 to that shown in solid lines, the cooperating wedge surfaces on the actuator block 160 and the cam block 5 force the cam block 99 and, hence, the clamp posts 8% down against the lower clamp shoe 89 to hold a can body clamped securely against the forming horn 12.

The mechanism for rocking the shaft 102 comprises an arm 168 clamped onthe front end thereof to which is pivotally connected a link 199 in turn pivotally connected to a lever 11%) carried on a pivot shaft 112. The shaft 112 has a pair of chordal recesses 114 machined at one end thereof which are engaged by a pair of set screws 115 carried on the lever 110. Since the recesses 114 and .setscrews 115 are offset from the axis of the shaft 112,

relative threading of the set screws 115 with the cap screw 115 threaded out to loosen the lever 110 on shaft 112, varies the angular position of lever on the shaft 112. Thus, the set screws are utilized to control the particular are through which the lever 110 and, hence, the wedge-carrying arm 1G8 swings. When the proper adjustment is attained, the cap screw 116 will lock the lever 119 in place. Also secured onto the shaft 112 is a cam follower arm 118 which carries a roller 129 to ride along the surface of composite earn 50.

A powerful compression spring 126 contained in a cylinder 123 constantly biases the arm 110 in a clockwise direction to hold the cam follower roller 120 against the surface of the composite earn 5% and to force the link 16% to the left in FIGS. 1 and 5 to drive the wedging bar 10 on the rocking shaft 102 against the complementary wedge surface of wedge cam bar 90. The force of the wedging spring 126 may be adjusted by means of a plug 130 threaded into the cylinder 128. A screwdriver slot 132 in the plug 138 permits it to be adjustably positioned along cylinder 128. An extension 133 carried on the cylinder 12% is engaged by a cap screw 134 or the like held in a fixed position on the cover plate 76' by a lock nut 135 so that the cylinder is effectively pivotally secured to the frame 2i) of the machine.

it will be apparent that as the cam roller 129' reaches the high portion of the composite cam 59 the arms 118 and 119 are rocked in a counter-clockwise direction to cause link 1 99 to rock the shaft 102 in a clockwise direc tion to swing the wedging bar 166 to the position shown in phantom in FIG. 5, releasing the pressure on the lower clamp shoe 8-2 and permitting a can body blank C to be deiivered by means (not shown) to the forming horn 12. Similarly, when the roller 12% reaches the low portion of the cam, the powerful spring 126 pivots the arm 110 to force the link 1%9 to the left in FIG. 1, rocking the shaft 1%2 to the position shown in FIG. 5, wherein the wedge bar 1% drives the cam block 90 downward to force, through the actuators 86, the lower clamp shoe 85) against the forming horn 12. Thus, it is further apparent that the previously described adjustment of the cam elements 51 and 52 relative to each other and the adjustment of the composite cam 56 on the conrol shaft 28, determines the duration and time of operation of the can body clamp 14.

With the can body firmly clamped onto the forming horn 12, it is conditioned to be wrapped by wing clamps 16 around the horn for completion of the seam. The means for accomplishing this will now be described.

As previously described, each connector rod 22 is pivotally connected at 24 to a crank disc 26. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4 the crank disc 26 is secured to a radial flange 138 on the main shaft 28 by means of arcuate clamps 140 which engage a peripheral lip 142 on the control shaft radial flange and are secured to the crank disc 26 by means of cap screws 144. The pivotal crank connection 24 comprises a sleeve 1 56 carried on the end of each connector rod 22, which is rotatably carried on an inner sleeve 148 having a radial flange 150 disposed against the face of the crank disc 26. Extending across the crank disc 26 (FIG. 4) is a T-slot 152 in which is slidably received the slide mounting 154 carried on the inner end of a cap screw 156 extending through the sleeve 143. The cap screw 156 is threadedly received in the slide member 154 and engages a plate or washer 158 to clamp the radial flange 150 of the inner sleeve 148 against the face of the crank disc 26 in a selected position thereon. The slideway threadedly receives an adjustment screw 160 (FIG. 4) which extends through a collar 162 carying a set screw 164 by means of which threading of the screw 16%) is prevented. Thus, when the set screw 164 is loosened, the cap screw 160 may be turned at 161 to move the slideway 154 along the screw 164 and adjust the radial position of the pivotal mounting 24 s0 as to adjust the throw of the connector rods 22 and, hence, the wing clamps 15 and 16.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the position of the pivotal mounting 24 on the crank disc may be adjusted to control the throw of the wing clamps and that the timing of the wing clamps may be adjusted by loosening the arcuate clamp members 146 to turnthe crank disc 26 relative to the main shaft 44.

While there has been illustrated and described the prefered embodiment of timeable means for clamping a can body and wrapping it about a horn, it'is apparent that those skilled in the art may make various modifications and changes therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed as invention is:

1. In a can body forming machine including a mandrel for supporting a can body blank and a reciprocable shoe for clamping a can body blank against said mandrel, means for clamping said shoe comprising:

a wedge cam block for clamping said shoe against said mandrel,

a complementary wedge member slidable across said cam block and operable in a first position to wedge said cam block to clamp said shoe against said mandrel and in a second position to release said cam block,

cam follower means connected to drive said wedge member,

a rotary cam operatively associated with said cam follower means and including high and low cam profile portions, and

means'for adjusting the relative lengths of said high and low cam profile portions.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 including:

a main control shaft on which said cam is mounted,

and

means for adjustably mounting said cam on said control shaft in a fixed angular disposition.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said cam follower means includes,

an arm mounted on a rocker shaft; and

means for adjusting the angular position of said arm on said rocker shaft.

4. In a can body forming machine including a mandrel for supporting a can body blank and a reciprocable shoe for clamping a can body blank against said mandrel, the combintion therewith of means for moving said shoe into and out of clamping position comprising:

a generally upright slidable actuator supported on said shoe,

a wedge cam block supported on the upper end of said actuator,

a complementary wedge member mounted for pivotal movement across said cam block and operable in a first position to wedge said cam block down against said actuator and in a second position to release said cam block,

cam folower means including a rocker arm connected to pivot said wedge member, and

a composite rotary cam operatively associated with said cam follower means,

said composite cam comprising adjacent cam discs both engageable simultaneously by said cam follower means and each with high and low cam profiles and means for adjustably securing said discs together in selected relative angular dispositions.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 including:

a main shaft on said machine, and

means for securing said composite cam on said shaft in selected angular disposition.

6. In a can body forming machine including a mandrel for supporting a can body blank and a reciprocable shoe for clamping a can body blank against said mandrel, means for moving said shoe into and out of clamping position comprising:

a vertically moveable actuator supported on said shoe,

a cam block supported on the upper end of said actuator,

the bottom surface of said cam block being angled in one direction,

means for adjusting the position of said cam block on said actuator in said one direction,

the top surface of said cam block forming a wedge surface in the transverse direction,

a complementary wedge member mounted for pivotal movement across said cam block and operable in a first position to wedge said cam block down against said actuator and in a second position to release said cam block,

cam follower means including a rocker arm connected to pivot said wedge member, and

a composite rotary cam operatively associated with said cam follower means,

said composite cam comprising adjacent cam discs both engageable simultaneously by said cam follower means and each with high and low cam profiles and means for adjustably securing said discs together in selected relative angular disposition.

7. In a can body forming machine including a frame,

a forming horn mounted on said frame for supporting a can body blank,

a clamping shoe moveable between an active position clamping acan body blank against said forming horn and a retracted position permitting a can body blank to be moved to or from said forming horn,

mechanism for moving said shoe between said active and retracted positions,

said mechanism including a rotary cam including high and low cam profile portions,

means for adjusting the relative lengths of said profile portions,

a first control shaft on which said rotary cam is mounted,

a second control shaft driven with said first control shaft,

a pair of Wing clamps adapted to fold a flat body blank around said forming born,

a crank member on each of said control shafts,

a connecting rod pivotally connected at one end to each of said crank members,

each of said connecting rods being pivotally connected at its other end to one of said wing clamps,

means for adjustably locating the connection of said connecting rod on said crank member relative to the rotational axis thereof, and

means for adjustably mounting each of said crank members in a selected angular disposition on one of said main shafts.

8. In a can body forming machine including a frame,

a forming horn mounted on said frame for supporting a can body blank,

a clamping shoe moveable between an active position clamping a can body blank against said forming horn and retracted position permitting a can body blank to be moved to or from said forming horn, and

mechanism for moving said shoe between said active and retracted positions,

said mechanism including a rotary cam including high and low cam profile portions, and

means for adjusting the relative lengths of said profile portions.

9. The combination defined in claim 8 including:

a main control shaft on which said rotary cam is mounted, and

means for adjustably mounting said cam on said shaft in a fixed angular disposition.

10. In a can body forming machine including a mandrel for supporting a can body blank and a reciprocable shoe for clamping a can body blank against said mandrel, means for moving said shoe into and out of clamping position comprising:

a vertically moveable actuator supported on said shoe,

a cam block supported on the upper end of said actuator, the bottom surface of said cam block having portions angled in one direction engaged by said actuator,

means for adjusting the position of said cam block in said one direction,

the top surface of said cam block being also angled in the transverse direction to form a Wedge surface,

a complementary Wedge member mounted for wedging movement across said cam block in said transverse direction, and

means for moving said complementary wedge member in timed relation to operation of the forming machine.

11. In a can body forming machine including a mandrel for supporting a can body blank and a reciprocable shoe above said mandrel, means for moving said shoe vertically into and out of clamping engagement with said mandrel comprising:

a series of vertically moveable actuators supported on said shoe,

a cam block having an upper wedge surface supported on the upper end of said actuators,

a complementary wedge member mounted for movement across said upper surface of the cam block and operable in a first position to wedge said cam block down against said actuators and in a'second position to release said cam block,

cam follower means including a rocker arm connected to move said wedge member,

a composite rotary cam operatively associated with said cam follower means,

said composite cam comprising adjacent cam discs both engageable simultaneously by said cam follower means and each with high and loW cam profiles and means for adjustably securing said discs together in selected relative angular dispositions.

12. The combination defined in claim 11 including a control shaft on said machine, and

means for securing said composite cam on said shaft in selected angular disposition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner. WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Examiner. 

1. IN A CAN BODY FORMING MACHINE INCLUDING A MANDREL FOR SUPPORTING A CAN BODY BLANK AND A RECIPROCABLE SHOE FOR CLAMPING A CAN BODY BLANK AGAINST SAID MANDREL, MEANS FOR CLAMPING SAID SHOE COMPRISING: A WEDGE CAM BLOCK FOR CLAMPING SAID SHOE AGAINST SAID MADRAL, A COMPEMENTARY WEDGE MEMBER SLIDABLE ACROSS SAID CAM BLOCK AND OPERABLE IN A FIRST POSITION TO WEDGE SAID CAM BLOCK TO CLAMP SAID SHOE AGAINST SAID MANDREL AND IN A SECOND POSITION TO RELEASE SAID CAM BLOCK, CAM FOLLOWER MEANS CONNECTED TO DRIVE SAID WEDGE MEMBER, 